You just need soil, water and light, right? Looking at the daisies growing through the cracks of your sidewalk, that is what you would think. But you are going to have temperamental plants, boujee plants, and simple plants. They all will require different soil, different humidity and very different love. If you've raised kids to teens, it's the same thing all over again. You will have some plants that want your attention daily and others that will die on your for just looking their way.
But just in case you need some ideas of accessories to get, here are some we recommend.
Soil- Every plant will thrive in something different. Houseplant101 has a perfect breakdown of easy DIY soil recipes. I tend to use a lot of the Chunky Aroid Mix myself. I find the FoxFarm brand is a great starter.
Light- Utilize the windows you have with macrame plant hangers or hanging pots. Watch for any scorched spots and crispy edges, as that can signal too much light. Be sure to rotate your plants so all sides get plenty of sunshine. (Remember to close the blinds/curtains for a few hours a day too! Plants need rest.)
Don't have good lighting? There are lots of cheap alternatives online. Clip on lights, bulbs, and larger garage sized grow lamps. Mix and match if you need to.
Water- Fish water. Faucet water. Filtered water. Is it the summer or winter? Is the plant in a clay pot or a plastic pot? So many questions! It is true that you may water more in the dryer months than the colder ones. And you may notice that your clay pots run through the water faster than the plastic ones. This could be a blog post all of its own. But for now, either find a schedule that works for you (maybe every Monday is watering day) or you can buy a moisture meter (no specifics, whatever fits your budget). Top watering and bottom watering are for another day!
Humidity- Plants like Monstera, Calathea, and some ferns, do better with high humidity. Some ways to duplicate this are pretty easy and affordable. If you don't have the room or funds for an Ikea Milsbo greenhouse, here are some ideas.
Grab a saucer and take the kids outside to grab rocks or pebbles from the driveway. Place the rocks in the saucer and add water to the top of the rocks. Place your plant on top of the saucer. That's it! It will create a cozy humid environment for that plant.
Another idea is to mist the leaves with either a handheld spray bottle, or with a humidifier. Some humidifiers can run costly, so I always suggest checking your local thrift store first. Your plants won't know. Try for a cool mist one.
Lastly, renovate that bathroom. Bathrooms hold moisture and humidity well. Not only will it look pretty but it's a win win. No misting or rocks.
Propagation- I reuse any glass or plastic container I have. If I emptied a sauce jar, I rinse it and use it for my props. I also utilize my fish tank for some props. If you want extra things for propagation, you can try either rooting powder or sphagnum moss. It's a planters' choice on what works best for you.
Pots- I just recently repotted all my plants into clear pots. This helps me see the roots easier and makes sure that my plants are doing well with water, fertilizer and such. Now you can buy a hundred different kinds of pots on Amazon, Lowes, Home Depot, Temu, and even thrift stores. Just do what fits your budget to start. I ended up getting a bulk set of clear pots on Temu for around $15 and found clearance orchid pots at Lowes. Both have plenty of holes for air to circulate.
On the high end, NakedRoot seems to be all the rage recently.
Fertilizer- Liquid, spikes, powder, pellets, and mixtures. There are so many to choose from. I personally like Arber brand. Planters' choice again on this one.
Those are the basics I would start with. A couple extra things that I love myself and have found I cannot live without are moss poles, sticky traps, garden scissors and plant ties.
What are some things you think are essential?
This article includes Amazon affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. This is not sponsored content.